Recently, the National Cadet Corps (NCC) announced its plan to conduct a grand event ‘Azadi ki Vijay Shrankhla aur Sanskritiyon ka Mahasangam’ part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrating India’s 75th Anniversary of Independence. This commemorative event will honor the heroes of the Indo-Pakistan 1971 War at 75 locations at the national level. Alongside, Sanskritiyon ka Maha Sangam, a special national integration camp, will take place in New Delhi, hosting a cultural exchange for participants from across the country.
India-Pakistan War 1971 and Its Background
Centralized and undemocratically governed by a military-bureaucratic oligarchy dominated by West Pakistan, the Pakistani state suffered from political imbalance during the 1950s. Bengalis were left without any political voice under this regime until the general elections in 1970 challenged West Pakistan’s dominance.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Awami League from East Pakistan won a landslide victory, securing an overall majority to become prime minister. However, West Pakistan refused to let a leader from their eastern provincial wing rule the country.
The Onset of Conflict
The quest for freedom was fueled by language and cultural differences between West Pakistan (present-day Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). These tensions culminated when General Yahya Khan launched a brutal assault on the people of East Pakistan after failed political negotiations.
The infamous Operation Searchlight was initiated by West Pakistan on March 26, 1971, across East Pakistan. The operation resulted in millions of Bangladeshis fleeing to India, mainly West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura. West Bengal faced a massive burden due to a sudden influx of refugees, forcing the state to seek assistance from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s government.
Indo-Bangla Cooperation: Path to Victory
The courage displayed by the Indian Army, along with the formidable fight put up by Mukti Bahini, a Bangladeshi guerilla resistance movement made up of military, paramilitary, and civilian forces, led to the defeat of Pakistani forces.
On December 16, 1971, Lt Gen Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, the Chief Martial Law Administrator of East Pakistan and Commander of Pakistan Army forces located in East Pakistan signed the Instrument of Surrender. An unprecedented amount of over 93,000 Pakistani troops surrendered to the Indian forces and Bangladesh Liberation forces, which is considered the largest surrender since World War II. This led to the birth of a new nation, Bangladesh.
The Impact of the Indo-Pakistan War on India
The East Pakistan uprising provided India with an opportunity to breakup Pakistan thereby eliminating the threat of a two-front war in future confrontations. It was a significant departure from non-alignment for India, especially with the signing of the Indo-Soviet Treaty in August 1971, which boosted India diplomatically. The victory not only reasserted India’s position within South Asia but also on foreign politics precipitating a power shift in favor of India.